Cricket boss Sourav Ganguly hopes ISL helps other sports open up in India

Ganguly felt that the staging the ISL in India as the first big sporting event after the pandemic will help inspire other sports to hold tournaments.

2 minBy Rahul Venkat
Sourav Ganguly

The 2020-21 Indian Super League (ISL) season, which kicks off in Goa on Friday, will be the first big sporting event to be held in India since March.

While sports have resumed in other parts of the world, the high number of COVID-19 cases in India meant that sporting events had been kept on hold until ISL got the nod from the authorities.

Former Indian cricket team captain Sourav Ganguly hoped that the staging of the ISL would help ease the fears of the country with regards to sports.

“It is a huge occasion being the first live sport in India post-lockdown. It’s the beginning of something very, very good because life needs to get back to normal. We need to get back to our lives and keep that fear away,” Sourav Ganguly said in an Instagram Live session with the ISL.

“I think a very good ISL season will clear all the cobwebs and doubts in everybody’s mind. It will inspire a lot of other sports as well and I say that including cricket because our domestic season will start soon. We’re looking to start in the New Year.”

Sourav Ganguly, who now serves as the president of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), oversaw the success of the recently-concluded Indian Premier League (IPL) in the UAE.

He is also co-owner of the erstwhile three-time ISL champions ATK, which merged with Mohun Bagan this season, and are now named ATK Mohun Bagan.

With the entry of rivals East Bengal this season, fans will witness the famous ‘Kolkata Derby’ in ISL 2020-21 and Ganguly felt it would add an extra edge to the country’s premier domestic football competition.

“Mohun Bagan and East Bengal have history and both have big fan following. It will only help the ISL grow bigger and it will ensure that football in India can get better,” stated Sourav Ganguly.

Lead photo: BCCI